Tails from the Dog House

Transcription

1 The Quarterly Newsletter from the Sardis Animal Hospital Fall 2012 Vol 10, No 3, pg 1 Departments: Staff news p 2 Feature article p3 Doggy Doo Doo p5 Pets Mirror Human Lifestyles Leading to Obesity Does your dog stand by his food dish and paw at the bowl then look dolefully at you with big eyes? Do you feel compelled to give him a treat when he comes begging or reward him when he has done something good. Similarly do you take your kids to McDonalds after the soccer game or movie or when they come home with a good report card. Does your family have regular junk food nights like pizza and ice cream. Does your cat get shrimp or some meaty morsel for no real reason other than for you to show your love. Animal Trivia Humor Page p6 p7 Well guess what... Our pets are suffering from the same obesity epidemic as their owners! Banfield Pet Hospitals (a franchise chain of pet clinics in the USA) just published their 2012 State of Pet Health report. A large integrated organization like Banfield is able to track incidence of diseases through networked computer records and thereby study patterns and trends of diseases in pets. According to Banfield s chief medical officer, many chronic conditions have increased over the last five years, some at an alarming rate. The research reflects a dramatic increase in reports of overweight and obese pets. According to the report, overweight and obese pets have increased by 37 percent (dogs) and 90 percent (cats) since 2007! Dog House is published quarterly by the Sardis Animal Hospital 7236 Vedder Rd Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, V2R 5K7 Phone The report also cites similar increases in conditions that directly relate to weight. Heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney problems and arthritis are also on the rise. Diabetes is up 32% in dogs, 16% in cats. 40% of diabetic dogs and cats are overweight! 40% of arthritic pets are also overweight. Does this sound familiar? Looks pretty much like the same reports we hear about human health problems. One does not have to look very far for an explanation. Feeding patterns for both groups are often similar with an emphasis on tasty rich foods. Exercise patterns (or lack of them) are also similar. Getting the dog out for some real exercise is a problem with many busy households. Human and Feline couch potatoes are growing in numbers. This report should come as no surprise. It s not rocket science. The great North American lifestyle is fast becoming our nemesis for both humans and our four-legged friends. The solution is not rocket science either. All that s needed is commitment. Cut back on intake, match intake to exercise. Cut back on rich foods and treats. And above all, get off that couch and take the pooch for a hike. Do it often and the rewards will follow. direct inquiries can be made to: staff@sardisvet.com website:

2 Vol 10, No 3, pg 2 Welcome to Dr Katherine Meek Staff News New DVM We are pleased to introduce Dr Katherine Meek as the newest member of our animal health care team. Dr Meek comes to us with over twenty years experience in small animal medicine and surgery. She is a native of Montreal where she began her practice career. She has both general practice and emergency hospital experience. She has spent the last 16 years working in several veterinary hospitals in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Katherine s personal interests include horseback riding and stained glass art. She has two horses of her own as well as a half a dozen dogs and several cats. Her extensive experience, skills and knowledge are a welcome addition to the Sardis Animal Hospital team. Old DVM Update on Dr Anvik: Dr Jack has needed to take a leave of absence for personal and family reasons. He has also reached the age when he can get into the movies for half price and qualifies for his pensions. He will still be working part time and doing relief work for a while. We are not ready to give him a gold watch just yet and he is not quite ready to sail off into the sunset. His availability however will be irregular. Check with the staff for times when he is available. Whelping DVM Update on Dr Ricka: Dr Ricka is on maternity leave. she is expecting twins and needs to take it easy until the big day. She will return after she whelps out the litter she is carrying.

3 Vol 10, No 3, pg 3 Feature Article mites are 8 legged related to spiders Ear Mites - what are they - where do they come from Ear mites are a contagious external parasite that lives, feeds and reproduces in the lower ear canal of dogs and cats. The species name is Otodectes cynotis. Most ear mite infestations diagnosed by vets are in cats, particularly young cats. Affected cats are often living in close association with another infected cat, often the kitten s mother. Barn cats or cats living in multi-cat households, breeding catteries and shelters where there are cats coming and going are the most common patients. Newly acquired kittens from a shelter or the farm down the road are often presented to us for examination. Dogs are occasionally found to have ear mite problems as well. The history and source is usually similar to the feline patient. not visible to naked eye Ear mites are white in colour and about 1/4 to 1/2 millimeter across. They are not easily seen with the naked eye and generally require magnification to be seen. Here is what an ear mite looks like when viewed through a microscope. spread by close contact highly contagious within a household of pets Ear mites are acquired by close contact with an infected host. Their feeding activity in the ear canal causes scratching and head shaking resulting in mites falling out in the immediate vicinity. Another pet inhabiting the same environment will become infected when the shed mites attach to the fur of the next host. They migrate to the new hosts ear and start to feed and lay eggs. Eggs hatch in the ear canal and increase numbers of mites very quickly intensifying the infestation. Eggs hatch within 2-3 days of being laid. The hatchlings are able to reproduce and lay more eggs within three weeks. Mites that fall off a pet die off in a matter of a few days if they do not find their way back to another (or the same) pet. The species of ear mite that we find in dogs and cats does not normally afflict humans. Rabbits have another species of ear mite that causes a greyish brown crust to develop in the ear. The rabbit ear mite is called Psoroptes cuniculi.

4 Vol 10, No 3, pg 4 Ear Mites continued Symptoms Ear mites produce an intense itch in the lower ear canal. They feed by extracting tissue fluids from the skin that lines the canal. Bleeding ensues, resulting in a dark reddish brown crusty material forming in the canal and working it s way up to where it can be seen. Secondary yeast and bacterial infections will also form and aggravate the problem. It s important to note that the presence of dark brown material does not necessarily prove the presence of mites. This is especially true in dogs! Bacterial and yeast infections as well as allergy induced inflammation can also result in brown discharge. Some dogs will also produce excessive brown waxy secretions. Most dogs that have brown discharge in their ears do not have ear mites! They have another problem. Owners commonly misdiagnose ear mites in their pets by assuming that discharge means mites. Then they buy over the counter ear mite meds that either dont t solve the problem or actually aggrevate the symptoms. If your dog or cat has ear discharge and is scratching at his ears, have it checked by the vet. Cats will assume a characteristic posture when scratching at ear mite infected ears. They will often dig at the inside of the ears with a hind foot. Scratching behind the ear will often result in a hairless patch that can have self induced bleeding and crusts behind the ear. Some cats will flick their ears, rock their head back and forth and hold their ears pointing ourtward and lower than usual. Treatment Old time remedies for ear mites include oils and rinses. Mineral oil can be tried but is generally ineffective. Over the counter ear mite remedies are generally pyrethrin containing (same agent that is in RAID). These agents are partially effective but can cause topical skin sensitivity and irritation, actually making the itch worse in some pets. The safest and most effective treatments for ear mites are prescription products. This means that the pet must be seen by the vet in order for the medication to be dispensed. It is against pharmacy regulations and unethical for vets to sell these over the counter without a doctor-patient relationship. Our favorites are Milbemite liquid drops in the lower ear canal. A one time treatment and you are done. The topically applied parasite medication Revolution is also effective.

5 Vol 10, No 3, pg 5 Red-Eye in Dogs Doggy Doo-Doo Inflammed eyes need veterinary attention. some conditions can lead to blindness or loss of eye Red-Eye is a generic term that is applied to a number of conditions that are characterized by red, swollen, angry looking eyes. These eyes are often itchy or even painful. They often have a discharge seeping from the eye to the surrounding skin. The discharge can vary from a clear watery discharge to a thick yellow or green material that cakes up around the eye. If your pet develops an eye that looks like this, it is critical that you bring him to the vet for evaluation. There are many conditions that cause eyes to look like this, most of them are potentially serious. Loss of vision or even loss of the eye are possible. Do no try to treat eyes like this yourself with home remedies. Here are some of the causes of Red - Eye do not try home treatments or use eye meds that have not been prescribed for the current problem 1. Simple bacterial conjunctivitis (like human pink-eye) - usually quite treatable 2. Injuries - some can have accompanying ulcers on the cornea and may need surgery 3. Glaucoma - very serious! many can be treated but blindness or loss of eye can occur. certain breeds like Bassets, Beagles, Cockers, Lhasa s are genetically prone. 4. Foreign bodies in the eye: penetration by sticks, slivers and thorns. In our area we commonly see grass seeds that drop off tall grasses in the eyes of dogs running through fields in the late summer and fall. Seeds are often barbed and will bury themselves in the recesses of eye and behind the third eyelid. They can lead to ulceration and abscesses and need to be found and removed 5. Dry Eye or Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) a serious condition in which the tear glands lose function and the eye dries up leading to a scarred, dry often pigmented cornea and blindness. seen frequently in older toy breeds but can be seen in any dog. 6. Uveitis - an immune driven disorder of the iris and supportive structures. Often sudden in onset. Inflammatory damage deep in the eye can lead to blindness. Needs prompt attention and aggressive treatment. 7. Dust, pollen, smoke and irritant or allergy related problems are often seen in summer particularly in dogs that are in dry dusty surroundings, like hay barns, or dogs that ride with head out the car window or back of an open pickup.

6 Vol 10, No 3, pg 6 Animal Trivia and Other Interesting Stuff Conservation Biologists are using dogs (primarily Border Collies) trained to the scent of threatened species to locate them in the wild for study and conservation. The University of Washington has 15 dogs trained to find the rare Oregon Spotted Frog here in BC and the endangered Jemez Mountains Salamander in New Mexico A flock of geese on the ground is called a gaggle, however, a flock of geese in flight is more properly called a skein A dolphin s hearing is so acute it can hear underwater sounds 15 miles away. The Nine Banded Armadillo is the only mammal that reproduces by a process called polyembryony Just after fertilization, the egg splits into 4 identical embryos, eventually giving birth to 4 genetically identical babies of the same sex.

7 Vol 10, No 3, pg 7 Modern Mutts Department Banjo says: If I turn a little to the right, my reception improves Things Aren t Always As They Appear Department Dr Jack s Wisdom Just because a mouse is in the cookie jar doesn t mean its a cookie